Pike-Lincoln tech director abruptly quits

Saying she had enough of board criticism, Pike-Lincoln Technical School Director Krista Flowers Luebrecht abruptly resigned at the Sept. 17 meeting of the Clopton R-III School District Board, which oversees the facility.

She was placed on paid administrative leave and will be officially gone Sept. 30.

It was the second major blow to the tech center since its main building burned to the ground Dec. 2, 2011.

Clopton Superintendent Mark Harvey said the school would have a tough time finding a replacement for Luebrecht this year, but vowed the facility, now mostly housed at the old Clopton Middle School building, will press on.

“We’re working on a transition plan on how to proceed for the best of the students,” Harvey said Tuesday, Sept. 25. “We’re in the middle of the demolition and building process,” to resurrect the school. Harvey said rumors that the school will not rebuild are not true.

“Everything is on schedule,” he said.

Luebrecht said rumors of her dragging her feet on the demolition and building process were not true.

“I gave the insurance company an inventory two to three months ago,” Luebrecht said. “We’re $900,000 apart,” on what the district valued its losses at and what the firm has initially offered to pay.

Luebrecht said the rumors about the rebuilding project, a mention of problems with her financial accountability in some April closed session minutes and several board members treating her rudely caused the resignation.

However, Luebrecht said she would not name the board members. Two of the three sources she gave the Press-Journal to vouch for the alleged harassment could or would not name the board members either. The other could not be reached.

Luebrecht said the breaking point came on Sept. 17 when in the middle of a presentation, board members began to belittle her and asked for her to hurry the presentation.

That’s when she said she stopped, walked over to her seat and wrote on a piece of paper:

“Dear B.O.E. I quit, effective 9/29/2012. Krista Flowers Luebrecht.”

She then gave the notice to board members, who voted at the same meeting to accept her resignation.

Luebrecht said she could effectively retire from school administration after 22 years.

She also left open the possibility of a lawsuit through the Missouri State Teachers Association or a private attorney.

Beyond that, Luebrecht said she is exploring a non-profit that would provide technical school services. She also said she had told the district she could come back to smooth any transition, but has not been contacted by R-III officials.